Advice and Tools
For every step of your Ostomy Journey
SASS aims to advocate and align the standard of Stoma care and services across South Africa which will be applicable to both the private and public sectors.
Ostomy Care
Tips and Tricks
The South African Society of Stomates (SASS) is a Non-profit organization formed by Ostomates across Southern Africa to facilitate a “holistic” approach to ostomy patient care by bridging the gap between the private and public sectors whilst advocating for the rights of fellow ostomates throughout the country.
SASS VALUE STATEMENT
SASS is dedicated to advocating for the rights and well-being of ostomates across South Africa. We strive to bridge the gap between private and public healthcare sectors, ensuring that all ostomates receive the highest standard of care.
Our mission is to provide comprehensive support, education, and resources to empower ostomates and their families, helping them navigate their new normal with confidence and dignity. By collaborating closely with clinicians and healthcare professionals, we ensure that our community receives expert care and guidance.
Aligning with global standards set by The International Ostomy Association (IOA), we aim to foster a community where every ostomate feels supported, informed, and valued.
Featured Topics
For Living with a Colostomy, Ileostomy or Urostomy
Help us achieve
What we set out to achieve with YOUR help
GET EDUCATED
Medically reviewed surgery-specific information. Making sure you have access to the best possible care. Ostomy pouch management tips, diet & nutrition, skincare, sexuality, travel tips and more!
FEEL SUPPORTED
Support to you & your family whilst you transition into your new normal. You will have access to a local peer support group, where you can get answers to questions, or connect with our Facebook community.
BE AN ADVOCATE
We aim to advocate the standard of Stoma care across private and public sectors, whilst aligning with the global standards set out by The International Ostomy Association (IOA).
A stoma can feel frightening when you don’t understand what life with one will look like.
Iman knows that feeling.
But with time, she learnt something that changed everything: never let your stoma limit you.
The thing she was once most afraid of became the thing that saved her life — and gave her the opportunity to live it fully.
A stoma did not mean the end of the life she wanted.
It became part of the life she was given back. ❤️
#SASS2026 #WorldOstomyDay #OstomyAwareness #StomaLife #QualityOfLife #StrongerTogether
Let’s be honest… sometimes things don’t go according to plan.
A pouch can leak. It can happen at home, at work, in a restaurant, or surrounded by people.
And yes, it can feel embarrassing.
But Iman reminds us that panic and shame don’t have to be part of the story. Tell the people around you, deal with it, clean up, change your pouch and carry on.
Because having a stoma doesn’t make you less human.
We all have some shit. ❤️
And maybe the more we talk about it, the less shame there is to carry.
#SASS2026 #WorldOstomyDay #OstomyAwareness #StomaLife #NoShame #StrongerTogether
We are almost out of seats.
Secure your registration today and prepare to leave SASS 2026 with fresh ideas and big goals. Register today - www.sass.2026.co.za
#StomaNurseExcellenceAwards #SASS2026 #StrongerTogether #StomaNurse #OstomyCare #NursingExcellence #PatientCare #HealthcareHeroes #CompassionInCare #SouthAfrica #ostomychallenge #ostomyevent #sassconference
✨ 1 DAY TO GO! ✨
Tomorrow, the wait is over.
36 nominees. One special evening. One moment of recognition.
Tomorrow night, we celebrate the nurses whose dedication, compassion and commitment make a real difference to people living with a stoma.
The names have been kept under wraps… but not for much longer. 👀
Who will be honoured? Find out tomorrow at SASS 2026.
#SASS2026 g#NurseAppreciation #ConvexityConnections #StomaCare #strongertogether
Sometimes, the thing we are taught to hide is the very thing that helped save our lives.
Iman wishes someone had told her this sooner: there is no shame in wearing a pouch.
Your pouch is not a failure.
It is not something that makes you less of who you are.
It is part of your journey, and for many of us, it represents a second chance at life.
If you are new to life with a stoma, please know this: you are not alone, and you have nothing to be ashamed of. ❤️
Share this with someone who may need to hear it today.
#SASS2026 #WorldOstomyDay #OstomyAwareness #StomaLife #NoShame #strongertogether
Where connection, knowledge and lived experience come together.
On 2–3 October 2026, SASS2026 brings together healthcare professionals, people living with a stoma and others who support the ostomy community for two days of learning, conversation and connection.
Our theme, “Complex Wounds, Complex Patients: The Ostomy Challenge,” recognises that ostomy care is about much more than the stoma itself.
It is about the whole person.
Clinical knowledge.
Lived experience.
Rehabilitation and recovery.
Nutrition and healing.
Psychosocial support.
And the conversations that help us understand what better care can look like.
📍 DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cape Town - Upper Eastside
We are looking forward to bringing our community together and creating space for real conversations, shared knowledge and meaningful connection.
Because when we learn from each other, we become stronger together.
💙 YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
#SASS2026 #WorldOstomyDay #WOD2026 #OstomyAwareness #OstomyCare #StrongerTogether #YouAreNotAlone #ComplexWounds #ComplexPatients #LivedExperience
SASS Blog
What has been happening at SASS
SASS Stoma Nurse Excellence Awards 2026
Honouring Nurses Who Change Lives Behind every ostomate’s journey is often a nurse who made an impossible moment feel manageable.A nurse who provided dignity during uncertainty.A nurse who offered reassurance, compassion, education, and hope. The SASS Stoma Nurse Excellence Awards were created to recognise and celebrate stoma nurses who go above and beyond in supporting […]
SASS2026 Conference: Multidisciplinary Ostomy Care Conference in South Africa
The South African Society of Ostomates (SASS) will host the SASS2026 Conference at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cape Town, bringing together healthcare professionals involved in the care and rehabilitation of people living with a stoma. The conference is designed as a multidisciplinary clinical platform, supporting knowledge-sharing across nursing, physiotherapy, biokinetics, dietetics, occupational therapy, and […]
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